UPDATE: Same-sex marriage is now legal in Arizona. However, the Reeds' plans have not changed.
Dayna and Cole Reed announced on Friday, October 10, that they will relocate their Roosevelt Row boutique and gallery, greenHAUS, in early February 2015.
While the couple, who were legally married in New York in 2012, have chosen Portland as their next home, their decision isn't based on your typical cool-chaser reasoning. Their same-sex marriage isn't recognized in Arizona, and with a baby on the way the two were growing increasingly concerned about their parental rights, specifically that each of their names would not appear on their child's birth certificate.
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But they say that they won't face that problem in Portland; hence the move.
Although they think that Arizona will eventually legalize same-sex marriage, the Reeds say that they don't want to wait for the law to change. They do, however, hope that the timing of their announcement encourages more voters to elect officials committed to LGBTQ rights.
"It hurts my heart that we have to do this for the safety of our family," says Cole, who has lived in Arizona for 20 years.
They'll relocate greenHAUS to Portland's arts district. They haven't yet settled on a location, but they are currently looking at two options.
In the meantime, greenHAUS will operate as usual. The space will host Third Friday art openings and First Friday receptions, in addition to planning a few other events such as flea markets in the coming months.
